My first impact wrench

[Boondox]

I've never used air tools in the past except for woodworking nailers, etc. But I recently purchased a Chicago Pneumatics 1/2" impact wrench on Ebay ($55 and 425# of torque) and got a chance to try it out this weekend while salvaging parts off my 55 Dodge parts truck. WOW! [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] Last weekend I spent forty minutes and a lot of swearing to remove one bolt the old fashioned way. Yesterday I spent about 2 minutes and one cycle of the air compressor to remove its twin on the other side of the truck! These things are GREAT! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Pete

[egon]

Pete:

Don't bust your knuckles and make blue air either:

Egon

[pbenven]

Indispensable for removing mower blades, too!

[chrisjbell]

Gotta love 'em, huh? I had a tough time convincing my wife to let me get a compressor and tools. I finally have her convinced, although she's mostly impressed with the quality that you can get with a paint gun instead of a brush...

But I've caught her using the compressor to blow things off, etc., although I think she tries to do it when I'm not around. Seems to have a hard time admitting it when I can actually justify a toy - uh, I mean tool - purchase [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img].

[Bird]

Would that be the CP-734 or one of the newer styles?

[Boondox]

That would be the one. Never having used one before, I was loathe to dish out the $$$ the newer units cost.

Pete

[Bird]

Chicago Pneumatic's CP734 and Ingersoll-Rand's IR231 are entirely different styles and designs, but they're the same torque rating and probably the two most popular half inch impact wrenches in use today. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] I have just a very slight preference for the IR231 and my brother has the same preference for the CP734. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] If yours is used, get an Allen wrench and take out that plug on the side labelled "oil", set the wrench down upside down and turn it so the oil hole is at about the 3 o'clock position (as viewed from the front or back end) and see if any oil runs out. If not, add 20W or 30W non-detergent motor oil to that level; in other words about half full. Keep it that way and it'll probably last a lifetime. Let it run out of oil and you'll likely break the cam release spring and/or one or both hammer pins.

[Inspector507]

All the ads for blade holders for mower blades?? Not if you have an impact wrench [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[bigbukhntr]

heck, i didnt realize people still used knuckle busting wrenches or ratches anymore.....seems there is a specialized air tool for just about any situation nowadays...next you will need the air ratchet, butterfly wrench, air chisel, air nibblers etc.....

[Handyman]

Impacts are wonderful, but, don't become too dependant on them.. keep a 1/2" beaker bar close at hand. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]